Old photos

I think I mentioned on the post about my birthday party the kids threw, and how they made a video of photos that made me cry. It was so moving to see all the kids growing up, getting married, having kids...it's amazing to me how fast time goes by. I just thought I'd share a couple of the pics they got from my mother. This is what I looked like when I was young. My mother said she was so frustrated with my hair. She would comb it all nice in the morning, and before long it was just flying everywhere. It took her awhile to realize that I had naturally curly hair, and it was going to do what it wanted. I've always hated it! In high school the trend was long, straight hair...even soup cans and ironing it wouldn't straighten it out. WOW...can't believe how fast life has gone by.

Jeff and I enjoy classic cars, and when I look at some of these old photos, I wish we had some of the cars in them. I think this was Grandpa Firkins car that I'm sitting on. I loved him alot. He always had candy or gum in his pockets when he would come out to visit.

Bummer...copied the same photo twice and can't seem to delete it, so you get to see it twice...that's good, right? This is my favorite dog. Lassie. She had one blue eye and one green eye. Amazing that I can still remember that, isn't it? Especially since Chelsey told me how "OLD" I'm getting the other night. That girl can be replaced you know!

Treven's birthday

This is a sketch for a challenge that I didn. Below is a card I made from the sketch and a double page layout. I'm having a ball doing these challenges.

This layout is of Ken & Viki, Jeff & I riding the 4-wheelers into Boulder City a year ago. Last Saturday the guys all went again...I was sick so I didn't make it.

We went to Albion last night to celebrate Treven's sixth birthday. What a wonderful bunch of kids. Treven was pretty excited with the gift from his dad...a REAL sling shot. Can't wait to see how many windows get broken with that! They had a bar-b-q and it was very nice.

Here's a photo of Ellie...eating black licorce. I couldn't believe it. She had it in both hands and was really going to town on it.

Another quilt

This quilt is some fabric I picked up at Mill Ends. It actually was a breast cancer stack. They had four or five fat quarters, and they were all jade colored. You were supposed to make a quilt and submit it for some contest, and all the proceeds are donated to fight breast cancer. Good idea, but I just really liked the color mostly. When I finished sewing this top up, I went in to get some quilting thread to match, and the ladies working at Mill Ends loved it. Thanks again to Doris for quilting it.

Quilt

I thought I'd post a photo of one of the quilts I've finished this year for my grandkids. As some of you know, my daughter seems to think I should carry on the tradition of making a quilt for each of my grandkids for when they get married. My mother (bless her soul) has done that for her grandkids, and Steph (easy for her to say) thinks I should too. Now, as I pointed out...there are some differences between my mother & I. First of all, she didn't work full time like I do. But, in her defense, she did have alot of yard work and the garden and everything else...so, I started. Thank heavens for my sister Doris, who has quilted them for me. I am not sure I'd even try if she didn't do that for me. But, I have really loved sewing the tops. It's like putting together patterned paper...this one is one of my favorites, and I'm sure it's because the fabric is JUST like patterned paper. Robin saw it in my closet and wanted to know what she had to do to get it!

Layout for Challenge

Here's a layout I did for a challenge. I loaded page one first, but then page two went above it. Someday I'm actually going to figure out how to fix these stupid mistakes I make all the time. Danelle gave me these pics of Ellie...aren't they just the cutest. Last week, she stopped to drop off my Avon, and I went out to the car to see Ellie. When I started talking to her, she started giggling. Everytime I would say something to her, she would laugh right out loud. Danelle said she really didn't laugh out loud very often, so I was excited that she laughed at me...I know...I'm really funny looking! I told Danelle I needed some baby time, and maybe they should all go to the movie again.

The kids started school here today, but I haven't talked to any of them yet to see how it went. I did stop at WalMart to pick up some things and it was BUSY...everyone picking up school things that weren't on the list I would guess.

Another week gone...

I can not believe how fast this year is flying by. It's almost the end of August already. It won't be long, and we'll be going to Soda to celebrate Doris's birthday. Mom, Janell, and myself are going this year. This is the first time Janell has gone for a couple of years, so that will be fun.'
I woke up not feeling to well Saturday morning, but showered and got ready to go 4-wheeling. We were meeting Ken & Viki at 7:00 for breakfast, and the long we were at the Wayside...the worse I felt. Finally when we were leaving, I decided I just didn't think I could take it. So...Viki didn't go either, which made me feel bad...but Jeff, Steve, Bret, Alex, Ken, and Vern all went. Guess it turned into a Wood guy thing. Anyway, Jeff said it was pretty rough with lots of boulders and rocks to climb, so maybe it was better I didn't go. I stayed home and loaded more music on the Ipod for work, and got my jade quilt all finished...that took forever. I'll try to post pictures of the last couple of quilts I've done tomorrow. They have turned out really pretty I think.

How cute is this?

This past weekend, my DIL came down and we got to spend a little time scrapping. She bought a binding thing, and had so much fun with it. She made this paper bag book for me to use. Isn't it the cutest thing? I'm excited about it.

Great weekend

I called my DIL and invited her to come down for the weekend, which worked out great. She had a photo shoot here, and then we spent the day helping Janell and then we did a "little" shopping. Not long really, unless you ask the boys about it. But, they were soooo good. Chris and Taylor are such great kids. My DIL has done such a great job of teaching them manners and how to behave. Chris opened doors and held them for me, including the car door. You don't see that much anymore, and I really appreciated it. I did not get any photos, but Robin took some of us at Cold Stone, so I'm hoping she'll get me copies. Bless her heart...she does send me quite a few from time to time.
The Cassia County Fair was this past week, and my grandkids ran the parking lot at work in the evenings. They all seemed pretty excited about what they made. Brooke had a bunch of folded money and told Lindsay...Feel it...it feels "good". Her and Lindsay both said...that was the easiest money they had ever made. You just walk up and collect the money and say "thank you". Lindsay was even going to put a bunch in savings rather than spending it all. Smart girl!

Family Reunion was a good time

Brother against brother in the stick pull. When the young kids got tired (finally) of playing this game, the older "Kids" started. Jason & Travis played until they both sort of just finally gave up. Neither one could pull the other one over. Jason's hands were all red and sore, especially where his wedding ring was. Mike and Wade played until Mike finally got Wade...but their legs were shaking they had worked so hard at it.

Who's kid is this? Treven kept calling "Grandpa" come and look at this. He and Sam were having a great time. They even built up the fire that had pretty much gone out.

We had a horse shoe tournament, which was cut short due to lack of time. Scott and I played together, and we actually came in 3rd...surprise. I don't know the first thing about playing, but it was alot of fun.

Lunch was a taco made right in the bag of Doritio's. It was pretty good and nice and easy. Food was super...as always.

One of the things we had to do for the Amazing Race, was to drink a liter of root beer, and it had to be done by the person on the team that was over 40. Janell was going to let Travis drink it for their team, but I said...no way. So, she sat right next to me, and said she'd throw it up on me if it came to that. I finished 4th out of 8, so I didn't think I did too badly. When they announced lunch though, I thought...I'm not even hungry. Then I remembered why...to much root beer.

Our teenager had to shoot the bow and arrow. I'm not sure that Lindsay had ever shot one before, but she pulled through for us. They had to make 30 points.

Part of our team. Abbe, Lindsay, & Steph. We had myself (over 40) Steph (20-39) Lindsay had to be our 15-19, Brooke 11-14 Dillon 6-10 and Abbe was our 3-5 year old. It was fun running all over and getting our clues. Pulling a pallet with 400 pounds of rock salt on it around the loop was about the hardest thing we did. Janell said her back hurt more from doing the gunny sack race than the pull though. Great time...thanks to the Jensen family for all their hard work.

Our family reunion was this past weekend, and it was really alot of fun. I thought I'd post some photos..not many, because they kept us running, throwing, pounding, drinking, shooting, guessing...you name it. The theme was the Amazing Race, and we broke into groups and did all kinds of things. Janell said they should have told us in the invitation that if you weren't in shape you shouldn't bother to come. I think all of us "old" folks are feeling it. But, it was a ton of fun and got old and young to work together.

Ryan and Sami's wedding

Margene made Sami's dress for her. It was fairly simple but elegant. She wrote me the nicest thank you note after her shower. She seems like a really cute girl.

Lots of pink/organce/green. I thought Janell's dress was very pretty on her.

Sam is such a cutie. He reminds me so much of Jason when he was little. He's gotten friendlier thank heavens. I hate that they don't like me!

Kyllie wasn't happy to see me...I think she wonders why I keep showing up in her life. And she isn't happy about it at all. She usually cries everytime she sees me.

Also in July, the 25th, I had a nephew get married. It was pretty cool. When they said what colors they were going to use, I went....oh, dear. But they really turned out pretty cool. Janell did so much work for it all.

Mother Daughter 50's party

Aubrie and McKenzie were dressed up for the party, and I had fun dancing with them to that rock music that we still love hearing. McKenzie impressed us all with her dancing.

My mother called me in July, and asked if I'd go to a Mother/daughter party at the church with her. Ashley, my niece, was in charge of the decorations, and I wouldn't be surprised if the whole party wasn't her idea. She's very good at making ideas come to life. Check out the juke box and the big rootbeer float...Each table had records for the centerpieces with soda glasses filled with pink whoppers or marshmallows. The pop was in a big tub on ice...and it was all the old style glass bottles. They had 50's music playing, so I was dancing with the girls in the picture up above. My sis, Margene, had made her granddaughters the skirts. It was really pretty fun. The food was fun.. hamburgers, fries, potato salad and green salad, and then ice cream sundae's for dessert.

Ready for the family reunion

Wow...it takes so much effort to get ready for a day-and-half family reunion. We drug the trailer out Wednesday night, and Jeff decided he wanted to clean the water tank, so we mixed up a potion...clorox and water and filled it. The instructions said you should leave it for 4 hours. We did that and then let it drain overnight. Last night we filled it a couple of times to get rid of the smell...should be good. Then I had to clean everything on the inside. Then it's packing: then two burner stove, the grill, the propane tanks, two awning tents, a huge cooler, lawn chairs, food, clothes, towels...the list goes on and on. I've already spent a bunch of time making things for the family auction. I'll have to take some photos of the auction items, because we always have so many cool things! It should be a fun time.
Steph came down last night, and we spent until midnight loading music into itunes for the ipod I bought to put at work. We're only through the A's and into the B's...do we have a ton of music or what? What fun though, listening to all these songs. Thanks Darin!

Where did July go?

I can not believe how fast this year is going by. It seems like it will be Christmas before we know it. I've been busy with work the past couple of weeks. First our inventory and then we helped with Twin's. Garrett's secretary's son was hurt in a car wreck in April and she has not been back to work since then. Needless to say, they are pretty short handed. In this time though, we've had lots of other things going on. Whitney and Kyllie celebrated their birthday with a dinner at the Claridge's. That was really fun. Jeff and I took a drive to Ashton, Drigg's, stopped for ice cream in Swan Valley, and went by Palasades Resevoir. It's the highest I've ever seen it. We went 4-wheeling with the Jones' and with Ken & Viki. Had Ryan's wedding. Just so many things.

I'm going to post a couple of layouts I've done...just so you can see how I've used some leftover stickers...always trying to use my stash.